


Late Nights In Avalor City

by whensparksfly



Category: Elena of Avalor (Cartoon)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Dancing, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Partying, Romance, eleteo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:27:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25909597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whensparksfly/pseuds/whensparksfly
Summary: When Doña Paloma offhandedly suggests that Princess Elena doesn’t know about the life of people her age beyond the castle, Elena finds herself with a crazy plan to sneak out of the castle and attend a secret, underground party in Avalor City. With the help of Mateo, a magical night of disguises, dancing, and battle ensues.
Relationships: Mateo de Alva/Elena Castillo Flores
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

Now that Mateo lived in the royal palace, weekends were more exciting than ever before. Mateo and Elena had their daily magic lessons, but Friday evenings were different. Instead of blasting targets and practicing fighting techniques, the two would hunker down in Mateo’s workshop with a strategically “borrowed” bowl of pan dulces and hot cocoa from the kitchen and talk about their weeks. It was this simple yet relaxing time spent with each other week that helped them unwind from their crazy lives. 

Today was no exception as Mateo waited outside the Grand Council room. However, the Grand Council stayed in session far past their expected ending time. He paced outside the imposing doors and nervously fidgeting with his tamorbita. Mateo knew how much Doña Paloma liked to drone on about seemingly unimportant matters, and how, in turn, Elena would get frustrated with her. Now that Doña Paloma took Esteban’s place on the Council and Naomi had left Avalor, their meetings seemed to go on longer than usual.

Suddenly the door burst open, and his wandering thoughts were cut short. Elena stood in the doorway with her scepter at her side and an irritated look on her face. Her dress was an alarming shade of orange that dissipated when she left the vicinity of the Grand Council room and locked eyes with the waiting wizard.

“Oh, Mateo! I’m so glad you’re here.” Elena exclaimed. Her anger visibly diminished as she looked glad to walk away from the Council despite the still audible voices of Francisco, Luisa, and Doña Paloma arguing in the background.

“Woah, what happened?” Mateo asked as Elena looped her arm around his and pulled him down the hallway away from the commotion.

“I just got so mad at Doña Paloma!” she exclaimed. “After all these years, I thought she had changed, but after joining the Grand Council, she’s even worse now!” She let go of Mateo and turned to face him.

“In fact, what made me the most mad was that Doña insinuated that I don’t know anything about the lives of the people in the kingdom. That’s ridiculous!” Elena huffed. 

Reluctantly, Mateo stepped forward to address the forlorn princess. Even though it was important to remember his position, he still felt that his role as friend superseded the roles that they played to the Kingdom.

“Elena, maybe she has a point. I know that you always do what’s best for the people of Avalor and take part in all of its traditions and holidays, but have you ever spent time with other people our age in the city?”

Elena’s eyes dropped, and she searched the corridor for an answer. A response eluded her, and Elena relented with a shrug.

“I suppose you do have a point Mateo, so tell me, what do the young people of Avalor City do?”

The implication of Elena’s question sounded alarm bells in Mateo’s head, and he suddenly started to backtrack. 

“Oh Elena, I don’t think you really want to know. Some of it might not be suitable for someone of your… stature.” 

“Honestly, what crazy things could they possibly be doing?”

Mateo hesitated to answer, and Elena could sense the wariness in his voice. He weighed his options knowing that if he didn’t give her the answers she was looking for, she would seek them out from other sources. That was truly the last avenue he wanted her to pursue, so he yielded.

“Okay, I’ll tell you.” Mateo conceded with his arms raised. “Back when I was younger, I would hear about these ‘underground’ events.”

“‘Underground’? Do you mean that they take place in the caves and caverns under the city?”

“Well, that’s one thing, but they also operate under the nose of the Avalor authorities. However, these were all things I heard while I was still in school. I never actually attended one of these myself.”

“Wow… I never knew something like that was taking place right under our noses.” Elena contemplated as she brought her hand to her chin. “We’ll just have to go investigate!” she exclaimed.

“No way! We’re not going anywhere near one of those!” Mateo protested.

“Come on Mateo! I always want to get to know more about the people in the kingdom, and what better way to do that than to partake in one of these fiestas!”

“Fiesta might be putting it lightly…” Mateo trailed off, realizing that he had no way of escaping one of Elena’s crazy ideas. “How about this? We can go, but we have to be in and out in a flash. We would need a disguise for you in order for this to work.”

“I think I’ve got just the outfit we need!” Elena proclaimed as they approached her door to her room. 

Elena dug through her closet and procured a seemingly plain, unmarked box. She pulled out a plain set of villager’s clothes.

“Hold on, Elena. Should I ask why you happen to have a commoner’s outfit handy in the depths of your closet?” Mateo asked with raised eyebrows.

“You can never be too prepared for any situation. If the palace was invaded and I had no other way to escape, a disguise would come in handy.”

Mateo chuckled at the preparedness of the princess, but in reality, it wasn’t that far fetched of an idea. Elena had been through a great deal of hardship, and it wasn’t that unreasonable to plan so far ahead. He only hoped that it would never come to such lengths, but with Elena ushering in this era of peace in Avalor, Mateo wished that he, too, could do his best beside her. 

Elena ducked behind her curtain to change. With a crazy idea in mind and a plan being formulated, it was clear that Mateo wasn’t getting that relaxing evening he had initially hoped for. Although he fought the urge to groan in annoyance, he couldn’t help but feel anxious at the princess’ wild ideas.

Even though Mateo was getting caught up in all of the ‘what ifs’, Elena soon emerged in her ensemble. It was a plain white shirt with long flowing sleeves tucked into a long, dark purple skirt. A black belt was tied around her waist to match the black shawl she wore over her shoulders. The outfit itself wasn’t anything sensational, nothing like her stunning Navidad gown or her eye-catching masquerade dress from their time in Nueva Vista, but there was a different sense of charm in its simplicity. 

It made Mateo wonder what Elena’s life would be like if she hadn’t been a princess. What if she lived in town and had gone to school with him and Naomi? He shook his head at his wishful thinking as he recalled her imprisonment. Forty-one years couldn’t have been easy but Elena still stood proudly, more determined than ever. She looked at him in anticipation as he realized that Elena was waiting for a response.

“You look amazing Elena!” Mateo blurted out as he admired his princess right before him, pushing aside his swirling thoughts. 

Elena did a simple turn and pleased with Mateo’s approval she made her way to the vanity.

“Would you mind doing my hair?” Elena sweetly asked as she sat in front of the mirror. “I want to look unrecognizable but still fit in.” 

“Yeah, I can try something.” he nervously croaked.

Mateo gently pulled the band that held Elena’s hair together, and her raven hair cascaded over her shoulders. He had only seen Elena with her hair down once before, when they had first defeated Orizaba, and Elena had fainted from overusing her scepter. She had been in such a delicate state then, but now she was purposeful and motivated.

“How about we leave your hair down, but tie a scarf around it? It’ll be dark when we get there, so this will obscure your face some more.” Mateo suggested, absentmindedly letting his hands run through her silky hair.

Elena responded with a resolute nod, so he made his way towards a nearby dresser and started sifting through her scarfs and headdresses until one caught his eye.

“Close your eyes.” Mateo commanded.

Elena complied, and she sat still with her eyes peacefully closed, now a far cry from her irritation earlier after the Grand Council meeting. Mateo deftly tied the smooth scarf around her head and tied it just before the nape of her neck, letting the loose trails of fabric fall and intertwine with the waves of her hair. 

“What do you think?” he asked, prompting her eyes to flutter open.

“Mateo, this is wonderful!” Elena swooned as she tilted her head at different angles to admire his handiwork. “This scarf is beautiful.” It was a deep purple that matched her skirt with intricate gold patterns throughout.

Elena went back to her closet and pulled out a plain jacket from the box that contained her dress. “Take off your robe and put this on. Then we’ll be ready to go!” she exclaimed with a palpable excitement in her voice. 

Elena tucked her scepter into a sheath under the folds of her skirt while Mateo tucked his robe into her closet. He smoothed out his everyday clothes and put on the plain-fitting jacket. Exchanging a glance, they knew they were ready to go, and as the sun set over the horizon of Avalor, their night was just getting started.


	2. Chapter 2

As Elena and Mateo lurked through the palace, they made their way to the Jaquins’ roost and a pair of pink-and-orange tail feathers greeted them.

“Oh, it’s Elena and Mateo, what’s up with you two-?” Luna paused. “Should I start by asking why you two are dressed up like that?” she raised her eyebrows as a wave of skepticism washed over her. Elena nervously smiled in return.

“Mateo and I are going on a reconnaissance mission, so we needed disguises.” Elena said.

Mateo resolutely nodded. It was fairly close to the truth, so it wasn’t necessarily a lie. Besides, the whole castle didn’t really need to know the details of him and Elena secretly galavanting all over Avalor in the dead of night. It was better to keep it a secret even if those seemed to not exist in the castle among the gossiping staff. If it was between Elena and Mateo, then the two of them knew they could always trust each other.

“Anyway, we need a ride, and we were hoping you could help us with that.” Elena said with a grin. Luna threw her a wary glance.

“Alright, but what’s in it for me?” she countered.

“An anoki berry pie!” Elena offered.

Luna nonchalantly spread her tail feathers as if she was fanning herself. She was certainly contemplating the offer, but she wasn’t swayed just yet.

“It’ll be Luisa’s own recipe. Straight from the royal kitchen!” Elena tempted.

“Oh, now you’re talking… Make it two and we’ve got a deal.” Luna said with her paw outstretched.

Elena took her paw with no hesitation. It was the only way they’d get away with such a wild endeavour.

“Alright, let’s get this show on the road!” Luna exclaimed as she stretched out her wings.

Elena got on first and Mateo slid on in the back as he tightly wrapped his arms around her. Even though he had done that very same action dozens of times before on their adventures, something about this time was different. Not only did Elena poofy hair get in the way, but she was also not bound by the confines of her normal royal attire. Whether it was her usual dresses or even ruffled travel attire, she now only wore her simple and thin cloth ensemble. With his arms draped around her waist, he felt intimately close to her. As he held on to her tighter, she seemed to ease into his hold until Luna’s voice rang out into the silent night.

“Where should I drop you guys off?” 

“At the far edge of the Via Mercado.” Elena replied.

Mateo noted Elena’s cleverness. She was making sure they were out of sight, and they would walk the rest of the way to their destination. How would they get home after that? Well, that’s something future Elena and Mateo would figure out. 

As Luna announced their arrival at their destination, Mateo slid off the jaquin while offering his hand to Elena. She took it, and the two of them bid Luna farewell as they made their way through the dimly lit streets of Avalor City. This part of Avalor was unfamiliar to Elena, so she followed Mateo’s lead. However, Elena’s excitement got the better of her as she squealed in excitement.

“I can’t believe we got away with that! What would Abuelo and Abuela say if they found out?”

“Well, let’s hope we never find out.” Mateo laughed.

He pulled Elena along with him and led the way through the almost labyrinthian city outskirts. It was more scenic than usual as the two admired the full moon above Avalor shining brightly, but with only a few shortcuts and some expert navigation, Mateo stated that they were almost at their destination.

“Tell me. How do you know your way around the city so well?” Elena curiously questioned.

“Oh, umm, during Shuriki’s reign, I may have made some midnight trips through the city to meet up with some magical vendors. They would supply me with potion ingredients, books, things like that…”

Elena’s mouth opened up in shock. “I take it your Mother never knew about this?”

“Oh, there’s a lot of things she doesn’t know, but let’s just keep that between us.”

Surprised, Elena gazed in amazement at Matero. Somehow she never would have guessed that there was a rebellious side to her bashful Royal Wizard, but in reality, their escapade tonight should have told her otherwise. They were accomplices, and both of them had to trust each other wholeheartedly for this crazy plan to work. Admittedly, they had a penchant for getting themselves into those types of situations, what with their trip to the Spirit World and the time they spent masquerading as Jaquins coming to mind. It wasn’t the first time, and as their record showed, it certainly wouldn’t be the last. 

Their stroll continued until they were out of the city and approaching the entrance to the underground tunnels. They stood before an imposing entryway, but they could hear the faint sounds of muffled voices and music playing in the distance. Elena and Mateo shared one last glance before they walked deeper into the cavern. Noises echoed around them in a cacophony of sound as they turned the corner. Scattered throughout the open area of the cave were groups of party-goers and a makeshift stage with a band playing music. Lights and hanging lanterns were strung up in the air. It was almost like magic. Well it certainly wasn’t, Mateo surmised, but it was close to it as the shadows danced on the walls with cheers and laughs in abundant supply around them. Elena and Mateo looked on in awe until a burly man waiting at the entrance walked up to them and held his arm, stopping them dead in their tracks.

“Who are you?” the man questioned in a gruff tone.

Before either of them could reply, the man leaned in towards Mateo, closely examining his face. Mateo anxiously tried to avert his gaze until a grin crossed the man’s face.

“Well, I’ll be damned! If that isn’t Mateo de Alva!” he exclaimed.

Mateo looked on in confusion until realization hit him.

“Guillermo, is that you?” Mateo asked as the man nodded in reply.

“Haha, I’m glad to see you remember your old school mates. What are you doing here?” Guillermo asked.

“It’s a long story, but let’s just say I wanted to bring my friend to one of these acclaimed fiestas while she was visiting Avalor City.”

Despite the short introduction, Guillermo was all smiles as he put his arm around Mateo’s shoulders and beckoned for Elena to follow them as Guillermo made his way into the party.

“Everyone-” his voice boomed. “Our old buddy Mateo’s here to visit!”

The crowds turned their attention towards them and the pair nervously exchanged glances while a few people approached them. Rather than be frightened, Mateo’s face lit up as he seemed to recognize the crowd forming around them.

“It’s been so long since we finished school. How have you been, Mateo?”

“Mateo, don’t you work in the castle now?”

Elena raised her brow as Mateo seemed to be popular in Avalor City, a far different tale than what Naomi used to tell her and Gabe. A group of guys approached Mateo and exchanged a few words with him as the questions continued. One voice piped up above the rest.

“Who’s that friend of yours Mateo?” 

A palpable silence entered the conversation as Mateo was left to answer the looming question.

“Umm, this is my friend who’s visiting from the countryside, Yolanda.” he stated as officially as he could. “Isn’t that right, Yoli?”

“That’s right!” Elena confirmed. “This is my first time here.” 

Elena once again reassured herself that it wasn’t completely a lie, and as the group spoke their greetings to her, a gaggle of girls whispered amongst each one another until one of them spoke up.

“Well, any friend of Mateo’s is a friend of ours! Let’s show you around!”

One of the girls grabbed Elena’s arm to pull her away from Mateo, and it took all of Mateo’s self-control not to reach out for her. The two locked eyes for a moment, and they nodded to one another. The plan was simple, just blend in, but he hoped that Elena could do the same.


	3. Chapter 3

Mateo grinned as he was surrounded by some of his old classmates. While he was never particularly close to any of them or saw them as confidants, they still sparked some old memories from when he used to attend school. Apparently word of Mateo’s adventures had made their way around the Kingdom as some of the guys asked about certain villains and creatures he had faced.

Mateo told them stories of his past conquests and escapades as the guys listened on in anticipation. Once merely a class jokester, Mateo was the talk of the party as he tossed up his tamborita in the air with a flourish. Everything was going smoothly until one question rose above the crowd that had formed around him.

“Are you dating Yolanda?”

Mateo’s face turned beet red. He was mortified. How was he supposed to answer that? “Oh, no. We’re just friends, that’s all!” He was back into a corner, and fighting back when he was outnumbered was not Mateo’s specialty. Mateo put his hands in the air as a sign of defeat, and accompanying his flustered reaction came hoots and cries from the guys around him. Although Mateo abstained from answering, his silence was answer enough to the rowdy crowd.

“Ooh, Mateo. You’ve got it bad!” someone teased.

“Well, if you’re not already with her, you will be after tonight!” Guillermo said with so much certainty that Mateo’s mind raced with possibilities. What could he mean by that? He scanned the room for Elena until he saw a large group of girls congregated by the entrance.

“Sorry guys. I’ve got to go. Nice catching up with you!”

“Not so fast.” Guillermo called as he caught back up to the speeding wizard.

Guillermo gestured to the musicians who were currently on break, and they whistled a response back. Judging by his pleased reaction and the mischievous grin on his face, any chance Mateo had of not confronting the ever-tightening feeling in his chest was going away. 

“Good luck, mi amigo.” Guillermo gave Mateo one last pat on the back followed by a wink, and Mateo gulped. He was done for.

As he scanned the room he spotted Elena, safe and sound, and his worries dissipated. With Elena finally in his sights again, he made a beeline towards her. Once she noticed him, all he could focus on was the relaxed look on her face. Her smile said all that he needed to know and that she had somehow managed to keep her identity under wraps. However, Elena looked different. Not only was her shawl tossed aside and sleeves bunched up at the elbows, but also her once loose hair was now braided into a crown adorned with tiny purple flowers.

“Violets, huh?” He said as he basked in the sight of her, his princess. She was magnificent and still managed to stand out from the crowd even when she was trying her best to blend in. It was a beautiful irony, and all Mateo could do was shake his head in amusement.

“All of your old school friends were so sweet!” Elena exclaimed as she twirled around for him to see. “But I’m glad I finally got to meet up with you again.”

As if on cue, the musicians at the front of the room began to strum up their instruments again, and Elena and Mateo shared a glance. The two of them, dancing? Of course he had danced with her before at royal functions, it was a royal obligation of his as the Royal Wizard, but Mateo couldn’t help but notice the hopeful look on her face. He couldn’t hesitate now, and after the trouble they went through to get there, he realized that this meant more to the both of them than either let on. 

“Elena,” he whispered. “Would you like to dance with me?” He asked as he tenderly held his hand out to her. She wordlessly nodded and took his hand as the swells of the music began to pick up.

Mateo blushed as he adjusted his hold on Elena, glad that the dim environment obscured his face. His hands went down to her waist almost agonizingly slowly as he inched his way closer to her, and in return Elena matched his stance as they mimicked those around them. Compared to the traditional Avaloran dances they took part in at the royal balls, this one held the two at a tantalizingly close distance, but just one look around the room showed that no one really followed the strict Avaloran dance rules as people adopted them in their own styles instead.

Rather than dwell on the circumstances that got them there, Mateo wanted to enjoy the moment, so he pushed aside the fluttering feeling in his stomach and pulled Elena closer to him. They danced together as song after song played, each one faster than the one before. The pair experimented with different spins and moves as they spun around one another without any rhyme or reason. However, one thing was certain, even when one of them pulled away, they always found their way back to each other.

As the music continued to get quicker in pace, Elena beamed in pure delight. It was a stark contrast to her demeanor at the celebrations that typically took place in the palace. All parties held at the castle were royal affairs. While they were fun on their own merit, they were still steeped in traditions like royal speeches and first dances with specific guests all accompanied by a predetermined music selection. A fiesta like this blew their expectations away, and now both of them thought they might never be able to go back to their old way of celebration.

As the music continued to speed up, more and more people left the dance floor. Former participants collapsed onto the sidelines of the dancefloor as they were consumed by laughter. Mateo glanced at Elena, trying to gauge a reaction from her, and she nodded in return, still up to the challenge. At the same time, Mateo couldn’t take his eyes away from her. Elena looked radiant, and if this cave was a ballroom, she was the belle of the ball. 

Unexpectedly, Mateo was jolted out of his musings as Elena changed the dance on the unsuspecting wizard. In a moment where the music called for a spin from Elena, she instead turned around to face him and pulled her body up against his suggestively, almost as if she was putting on a show for the crowd. They were both caught up in the moment. Elena released her inhibitions, and Mateo was utterly entranced. Just like that, body to body, they danced as the last couple fell beside them. All they had left to do was finish the last song, so he turned to her one last time.

“Are you ready?” 

“Always.” 

With one last turn Mateo’s hand slowly traveled down to Elena’s back, pulling her into a low dip. He slowly raised Elena up as a crowd of people had gathered to cheer and holler for the winning couple. While everyone celebrated, Elena and Mateo stood motionless still holding on to each other. Forehead to forehead, the two remained close as they struggled to gasp for air. 

Mateo eyes looked up only to see that Elena’s hair was now loose with wisps of her curls framing her face. Her smile spoke volumes that neither of the two could manage to vocalize and her eyes were focussed solely on him. Mateo couldn’t help but notice her lips, so enticing and kissable, as he was mere inches away from her. All he had to do was lean in, and he almost did. That was, until the cave started shaking around them.


	4. Chapter 4

As echoes reverberated in the cave around Elena and Mateo, all eyes were pulled to the entrance as a figure arose from the rocks in the wall. Initially, it resembled Charoca, an old friend of theirs they had faced before; however, this creature was based with a tan-colored stone and had gemstones and jewels layered throughout its body. Even in the dim light, he glittered and shined, pulling the attention of the crowd that had now gathered.

Not knowing the intentions of the creature, Mateo stepped forward from the crowd and pulled out his tamborita. He looked towards Elena who had a hand at the hem of her skirt. She looked apprehensive as to whether or not to pull out her scepter, but for the moment she refrained as she glanced around the room still full of party-goers. Mateo gulped, mentally preparing himself to potentially face the creature alone, but if it meant he would protect Elena, he would do anything for her. With his confidence reignited, he stepped forward once again and addressed the creature.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Mateo questioned.

“I am a Calizador, the guardian of this cave!” the creature boomed. “I am a defender of this land, but you have all woken me up on this night of this full moon with your infernal noise!”

He bellowed a mighty roar and the crowd dispersed as everyone tried to run and hide, but Elena stayed by Mateo’s side.

“Mateo, I don’t think we’ll be able to reason with him.” she cried.

Taking the initiative, Mateo aimed his tamborita at him desperately trying to scan for any weaknesses or openings.

“Vetzi!” Mateo exclaimed, but the spell had no effect on the study giant. He didn’t even flinch as his shield made of gems blocked the oncoming attack. He was a defensive creature, and neither of them had much experience with this new form of foe. Mateo desperately looked towards Elena.

“Do you have anything that’ll get through his armor?” she asked.

Before Mateo could answer the giant approached and swung at them with his shield. Elena and Mateo swiftly dodged it, but if this kept up, they would be cornered in the small cave. Seeing no other option, Elena reached to grab her scepter yet again. 

“Elena, are you sure?” Mateo asked.

“The people of Avalor are in danger. I can’t stand around and wait for someone else to take care of it.” 

He resolutely nodded, admiring her strength and selflessness. Her identity would be compromised, but her first priority was always to protect her people. Mateo just hoped he could protect them both as he looked back at the monster who was shifting his stance to place up his shield again. Suddenly, an idea struck him.

“Calizador… That’s just like caliza, or limestone.” Mateo murmured to himself. 

“Oh, I’ve got it!” he exclaimed as he pulled his tamborita back in its bag. “Elena, I have a plan, but I need you to distract him for a while.”

“I’m on it.” nodded Elena, and without any hesitation, she brandished her scepter. Elena stepped forward on the offensive and instigated the creature.

“Blaze!” she commanded as her scepter lit up the cave with fiery orbs. At the same time Mateo slunk away from the action as he frantically looked around.

Elena continued to send one spell after another, but the Calizador effortlessly swung his shield to nullify them. They unsurprisingly had no effect on him and his gemstones, but as her volley continued, the Calizador was caught off guard from the sparkle of Elena’s scepter. As if he was mesmerized, the creature stared at it with his jaw agape.

“The way that jewel shines… I must have it!” roared the Calizador.

The creature dropped his shield and reached for Elena as she nimbly avoided his grasp, but she was exhausted from their dancing earlier and wouldn’t be able to keep it up for much longer.

As Mateo was setting up his plan he looked back to see Elena evading the Calizador’s each and every attack. It helped that the rock monster was slower and his each swing was labored, but it just meant that when he hit, it would be that much harder. It was only a matter of time until Elena wouldn’t be able to keep up with his attacks, so Mateo put his plan into action. 

“Llévaluq!” the wizard cried as he lifted a wooden bucket above his head and aimed it over the Calizador. Mateo ran over to Elena as he held the bucket in position, and when he assumed his rightful place by her side, he released a cascade of water all over the creature.

Though the Calizador was momentary dazed, he started to menacingly laugh.

“Is this it? A little cave water?” the Calizador taunted as the water ran over the crevices and cracks in between his stoney body, pouring right through him. To any bystanders, it might have seemed that he failed, but Mateo had other plans.

“That’s not all!” Mateo shouted. “Conglari!” With a twist of the drum and a strike of the tamborita, Mateo incapacitated the monster as the icey spell rapidly froze all of the water that he dumped onto him. His whole body was frozen solid as the spell took its hold and left the creature as still a statue. 

The silence in the cave was palpable as everyone waited to see whether or not the spell would hold, and after several agonizingly long moments, it did. Mateo tucked his tamborita away and turned to face the party-goers, now aware of Elena’s identity. Guillermo stepped forward to address the crowd that had gathered yet again as everyone emerged from their hiding spots.

“Everyone-” he started. “These two here put themselves in danger in order to save all of us. The least we can do is keep their secret for them.”

People looked to one another as they contemplated Guillermo’s words.

“We owe them a debt of gratitude, and this is how we will repay our Avaloran heroes!” he declared, raising both of their arms in triumph. It didn’t take much convincing as the crowd cheered and yelled.

“Hooray for Mateo and Elena!”

“They saved us, the heroes of Avalor!”

The cheers continued until a guard from the outside barged in.

“The Avaloran authorities heard what happened, and they’re on the way!” the guard cried.

Everyone looked around frantically, but Guillermo called attention to the crowd one more time.

“Elena and Mateo, we have to get you out of here as quickly as possible. We swear to you that we will honor our word, and we hope to see you here again soon.” he promised as he released them from his grasp and pushed them towards the guard that would escort them out. Elena and Mateo took off running, but they turned back to Guillermo one last time.

“Thank you, Guillermo!” Mateo yelled back.

“It’s an honor, mis amigos. Good luck with everything!” he replied as he turned back to command the remaining crowd. 

Side by side Elena and Mateo ran out of the cave and into the warm Avalor air as the guard led them away from the sound of the Avaloran Guard arriving in the distance. As they left the forest and the dirt paths turned into roads, the guard slowed down and turned to face them.

“If you follow the path that way, you should get to the sideroads of Avalor City. Mateo, do you know the rest of the way from there?”

Mateo resolutely nodded, and the guard waved the two of them goodbye. He took off with a dash back towards the forest, presumably on his way to help the remaining party goers, as Elena and Mateo turned to face the looming cityscape before them. The night wasn’t over quite yet.


	5. Chapter 5

Although the excitement of their adventure had seemingly come to an end, Elena and Mateo still had to get home. The two ambled along the empty cobblestone roads of Avalor City continuing to walk side by side as they contemplated the day’s events. What started out as a reconnaissance mission turned into one wild plan after the other. Mateo shook his head. Honestly what else should he have expected when it came to Elena? He expectantly looked over to her, wondering what she thought about everything. Almost on cue her voice rang out in darkness.

“Thank you, Mateo.” Elena said. “I hope you’re not disappointed. I know how much you were looking forward to one of our more… relaxing evenings.” 

Mateo looked at her in shock. Of course he had grown accustomed to their end-of-the-week get-togethers, but after the spectacular time they had tonight, it was the last thing on his mind.

“Elena, I’m not disappointed! In fact, I think that I wouldn’t mind doing something like this again. Err- just without the angry magical creature.” he pondered aloud.

His quip broke the palpable tension in the air as both of them burst out laughing. 

They shared a look of understanding, and even though no words were shared between them, he felt as though he understood her. It was a side effect of how well they knew each other, but how many times had they had moments like these where the most important things went unsaid between them? Mateo sheepishly looked away as those feelings from before came rushing back to him, but among all of those emotions was an undercurrent of guilt. He knew Elena was bound to be their Queen, so who was he to mess with that plan? Doubts spun around in his head, but one thought rose above the rest, what if she feels the same way? He felt the overwhelming need to know.

However, Mateo’s thoughts were cut short as voices rang out through the main street. Elena froze and in a moment of panic he grabbed her arm and pulled her with him into a nearby alleyway. It was a small space, and in order for the two of them to fit Elena had to back herself up against the brick wall as Mateo settled up against her.

And just like that it was the two of them alone again.

They held onto each other for what felt like an eternity as the voices disappeared into the night, but even as silence rang out neither of them made the first move to leave. The gravitas of the situation was not lost on Mateo as he realized that this was his last chance. If they kept walking, they would soon reach the castle. Everything they had done today led up to this point, and the last thing Mateo wanted to do was end the night with regret. He knew what he had to do, so under the full Avaloran moon and hidden by what little lamplight was left in their tiny alcove of Avalor City, Mateo leaned in and kissed her. It was a delicate kiss, as if they merely brushed their lips against each other. It was so soft that he wondered if it really even happened. Panic rose up through Mateo as he gauged Elena’s shocked reaction. Could he have read the mood wrong? Did she hate it? Mateo tried to save face as he started to piece together a mumbled confession.

“E-Elena, I-”

But Elena had other ideas. She grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close to her. “Just kiss me again.” she whispered into his ear.

Her words lit a fire within Mateo, and finally, there was no need to hold back the feelings he had restrained for so long. Mateo was not particularly known for his way with words, so he gladly obliged as he pressed her up against the wall, kissing her senseless. His hands suddenly found themselves tangled in her hair as her formerly intricate crown fell apart into loose braids, showering tiny violets all around them.

Elena, who had once been the example of poise and grace, barely kept it together in his warm embrace. The two reluctantly pulled away from each other, if only to gasp for breath, as they met each other’s gaze. Neither of them spoke up. While it wasn’t often that Mateo saw the bold and brash crown princess speechless, now he was thankful for it. There were only so many ways that words could be said over and over again, but their bond went deeper than mere words alone.

But there they remained in that small corner as neither of them wanted to leave. Was it because everything between them would be irrevocably different now? Was it the fear that their relationship would be discovered? Was it because they didn’t want things to change? Or was it a mixture of all of those? Mateo had so many questions, but only one thing he needed to say as the words finally managed to tumble out.

“Elena, ever since the day you were freed from that amulet, my whole life was changed for the better.”

He looked longingly at her, the contents of his heart pouring out before her.

“I know I’m not a prince or some kind of heroic knight who swoops in to save the day, but I never could have imagined myself going on so many adventures with you.”

He continued on, anxious in his necessity to tell her everything he had been holding back for so long.

“I think I’ve felt this way for a long time, but I’ve always been scared to act on it, guilty even. But after tonight, I couldn’t imagine my life without you in it. I want to go on more crazy adventures and experience all sorts of things I never even knew existed.” 

At this point, Mateo realized he was rambling, but when he finally stopped, the ever-intrusive nervousness set in. What would Elena think? Not only had he clearly overstepped his bounds, he also made himself look like a fool as he practically declared that he wanted a place in Elena’s already-complicated life. However, Elena was formulating her own response to his confession. She placed a hand on his shoulder and looked directly into his eyes. There was no mistaking the sincerity in her gaze as she addressed his concerns.

“Mateo de Alva, from the moment I first saw you, I knew you were special. The only reason I’m here right now is because of you. You’ve done more for this country and its people than you’ll ever know.”

She leaned in closer, sweeping him up in an abrupt hug.

“And if you’re willing to stay by my side, despite the challenges that come with me and who I am, I might just be the lucky one here…” she chuckled, trailing off with her own uncertainties.

“W-willing?” Mateo stammered. “I’d be honored to.”

He pulled away to take her hands into his. 

“Always and forever.”

Another kiss closed the gap between them, and although things would undoubtedly be different now between them, they were now able to take the time they needed to fully realize their feelings for each other. The full moon glowed above them as it set over Avalor City, signaling the end to a truly magical night.

* * *

The next morning Princess Elena was called to an emergency meeting of the Grand Council, and as Elena slowly shuffled into the room accompanied by a lazy yawn, she met the gaze of a certain Royal Wizard waiting at the entrance who had a sweet smile on his face. He discretely held out his arm to hold the door as the Princess entered, and once Elena’s presence had been recognized and all of the Council members were accounted for, Captain Nuñez addressed the eagerly awaiting group.

“Last night in the underground caves in the city outskirts, there was an unsanctioned party led by a group of youths from Avalor City. Somehow, their rowdiness awakened a cave guardian, and by unknown means, the creature was taken down and rendered incapicated until the city guards arrived at the scene and secured the premises. While we have not confirmed the means of his summoning or how he was apprehended, we are starting up an investigation into the matter.”

The council members sat there speechless, stunned by the series of events that sounded almost fictitious in nature. Gabe didn’t wait for their reactions as he continued on.

“Mateo, would you be able to accompany some of my guards to the scene of the crime and identify the creature?”

“I’ll gladly join you in your investigation.” Mateo dutifully responded, suppressing the nervousness that rose within him.

Though it was clear that the Royal Guard didn’t find out about all the details of last night’s events, that didn’t mean they were in the clear quite yet.

“Excellent!” Gabe turned back to face Elena. “Now Princess Elena, how would you like to address the situation to the public?”

Elena pondered his question, making sure to choose her words carefully.

“I’m intrigued by the fact that this has all been going on under our noses. If you’ll permit me to tag along, I’d like to see the scene for myself and meet these youths before I pass along any judgement.”

The Council murmured amongst themselves for a moment before Doña Paloma cleared her throat.

“This seems like a wise course of action Elena, and we hope that getting involved in the affairs of the cityfolk will broaden your knowledge.”

The line was almost verbatim from the speech Doña had uttered yesterday as she smirked in response, clearly thinking she had proved her point and had the upper hand in the conversation. 

“Of course, Doña.” Elena graciously responded, entertaining Doña’s high and mighty attitude. 

“Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Elena rose up to meet the guards as she exited the room. Her gaze met Mateo’s, and the look they shared was one of pure adoration and unadulterated love. The tale they had written last night was just the chapter in the story they would continue to write together, and they couldn’t wait to get started.


End file.
